Caerphilly Council And Cadw Partnership Restores Ancient Burial Monument

Caerphilly Borough County Council and Cadw have worked together to restore one of the Twyn-yr-Oerfel Bronze Age burial mounds. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are two round barrows at Twyn-yr-Oerfal, both burial monuments of Bronze Age date (c. 2500 – 800BC) which would have contained a single burial possibly of an important member of the local community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

These burial mounds are known to be part of a cluster of similar monuments which lie along the Mynydd y Grug ridge, near Cwmfelinfach, which form a rare example of a Bronze Age barrow cemetery. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each barrow is a nationally significant monument and both are legally protected due to their significance and their potential to contain unique and important archaeological material. Unfortunately one of the two barrows has suffered substantial damage over the last decade, caused by illegal off-road vehicles which could have resulted in the monument being completely destroyed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly Council and Cadw have worked together to devise a project to mitigate the damage. This included recording the exposed archaeological materials and reinstating the monument. The archaeological investigation has shown that there has been significant damage to the structure however; remains of the original Bronze Age barrow do survive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The barrows have been covered by a specially designed geotextile matting and soil containing a seed mix that will provide a sturdy grass cover for the repaired monuments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly Council and Cadw are now working with Gwent Police to safeguard the monument for future generations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Ken James, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Sustainable Development said, “I am delighted to see the restoration of such rare, historic monuments. As a borough we pride ourselves on our history and now there is evidence the Bronze Age is also part of it. Thank you to the team and Cadw who worked on the restoration, it is now important we make sure the monuments are looked after before they are too damaged to repair.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​